There's another NECN/Globe/WBUR/MassInc debate later this
month--this one's focused on healthcare and education--but unlike the
first debate put on by those civic-minded organizations, Christy Mihos
wasn't invited. (Neither was Kerry Healey, but we all know she wouldn't
have come anyway.)

What's the scoop, you ask? According to NECN's Doreen Vigue, nothing
nefarious is afoot.

Breaking news. And congrats to former Herald reporter Andy Miga for getting it first.

So... In light of this development, anybody out there think Edmund Leather has a ghost of a chance? The unfinished web site doesn't bode well, obviously. (By the way, is that a great porn name, or what?)

There's some kind of campaign-finance joke in there, but I'll leave it alone.

Anyway, on this day of bigfat spending caps, here's what secretary of state candidate John Bonifaz, who's challenging incumbent Bill Galvin, had to say. (Incidentally, Galvin capped himself at $2.9 million earlier today.)

So, the Wonkish One says he'll spend no more than $15.36 million
dollars during the Democratic primary campaign for governor. (Kudos to
Jon Keller for getting this first.) Here's the fun part--that's the percentage of the vote he got in Worcester!!!

Yes, that's a whole bunch of cash. But Gabrieli probably won't end up
shelling out that much.

In an item posted earlier today, a pro-Deval Patrick blogger
argues that it's not fair to call Patrick's supporters a "cult," as Joan Vennochi does in today's Globe. She
prefers the term "movement." "A cult is centered around a particular, charismatic, powerful
individual," she explains. "[A] movement grows out of ideas, debate,
and discussion."

Earlier this afternoon, though, Mihos was kind enough to give me a hint as to who s/he is:

"It is someone who has earned it. Earned it in the sense that they've
had a multifaceted career, and if anything ever happened to me, I would
feel absolutely confident that that person could step in and.

Intriguing tidbit from Out of Context, the Salt Lake Tribune's political blog: "Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was spotted [Monday] leaving the White
House West Wing. We're not sure of the purpose of the visit, but there
is apparently no truth to the rumors he was packing a tape measure and
some curtain samples."

My spookily insightful colleague David Bernstein just made a great point: as Gabrieli plugs this proposed "deal" in the coming months, he can appropriate the catchphrase "Deal or no deal?" from the hit TV series of the same name.

Good move, this--kind of a local Democratic version of the
Contract with America. Gabrieli is obviously trying to offer his own
version of the GOP's Let's-clean-up-the-mess-on-Beacon-Hill script.

Here's the full press release the Gabrieli camp put out a moment ago.
(My only issue is that the quote marks around the word Deal make it
sound like something sketchy is afoot, but that's a minor criticism.

SOUTH END- - State Senate candidate Samiyah Diaz has filed
a formal objection at the State Ballot Commission to block Senator
Wilkerson’s attempt to be listed in the September Democratic Primary
ballot.

In response to repeated media inquiries regarding public financing, Chris Gabrieli issued the following statement:

“I will not take any taxpayer money to finance my campaign. While I
support public financing, these laws were not designed for any of the
current candidates for governor, all who have either vast personal
wealth or huge campaign war chests.

Phil Johnston's introducing Deval Patrick--or, more accurately, two other people (state senator Marian Walsh and Taunton mayor Bob Nunes) who'll introduce Patrick. Johnston says Patrick's speech earlier today was reminiscent of Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King, that he was "deeply inspired," and that "we need to be inspired in this country."